Speaker Series, End of the Year Sharing, and IDA Executive Board Applications

Tuesday, April 20th at 8:00pm in VKC 111

Speaker: USC senior, Rebecca Lauber will share on her microfinancing experiences in Guatemala. Rebecca works for HAD Assistance, an NGO that looks for innovative international development strategies. HAD Assistance is currently exploring the social implications of microfinance and it’s place in international development. HAD Assistance was founded in the memory of former SIR professor, Hayward Alker.

Sharing: We will have all member organizations share a summary of the year, latest developments and projects, and what is expected for the future.

Applications: Applications for IDA executive board will be due by the end of the event.

For more information about the event or e-board applications, please reply to this email (uscida@gmail.com)

IRUA, the Political Student Assembly, USC Spectrum, and the Office of
Religious Life Present…

An Evening with Kevin Bales of Free The Slaves!

Dr. Kevin Bales is an expert on modern slavery and President of Free
the Slaves, the US Sister organization of Anti-Slavery International
(the world’s oldest human rights organization). He is seen as one of
the most (if not the most) prominent figures in human rights work in
the world.

We will be hosting Robert Moore, a USC graduate and founder of MDM International, as well as a talk from Global Business Brigades about their recent service-learning trip to Panama.

The Vision of MDM is to make the greatest positive impact on the world’s poor in a way that is self-sustaining and long term. Through an innovative approach that combines the realms of business and philanthropy, MDM hopes to pioneer a culture of giving in developed countries that focuses less on simply donating to the poor and more on empowering them. MDM is currently in the research stage of a project to set up a company in India to manufacture and distribute the FastBloc building technology. MDM will target developers who are building low-cost housing to enable them to bring the cost down and the quality up of the homes that they are selling and renting to the lower-class market. (http://milburndentonmoore.com/)

Global Business Brigades (GBB) is a national, non-profit organization committed to help build and sustain various micro-enterprises around the world through enabling undergraduate students to go on trips or “brigades” to develop professional business skills with specific hands on projects. This month, USC GBB sent 26 students to Panama to consult local farmers. This week-long brigade encompassed working one on one with local honey bee farmers, collaborating on sustainable business ideas, and empowering the community to move forward. GBB is different than any other program at USC because it mixes practical business skills, philanthropy, and traveling abroad together in a very ambitious way. Interested to learn more? Come hear Jessica, one of our IDA executive board members, and President of GBB, Chanel, share about their experiences in Panama and find out how you can apply to go on a service-learning trip!

Who? IDA and IRUA members and friends
What? good conversation with your fellow Trojans who are changing the world!
Where? The Lab Gastropub (on Figueroa in between the Galen Center and the Radisson)
When? 5pm tomorrow
Why? because everyone needs a study break!

This is our last event of the semester. If we don’t see you tomorrow, have a safe and fun holiday break!

Best,

Dawn, Jessica, Jezreel, and Katey
Co-Directors, International Development Association

Fri, Nov 20, 1-4 Explore Your Passion and Leadership – Leadership Workshop, VKC 258
Explore how to translate your passion into reality by simulations and activities! Learn from people who have indeed started some ‘crazy’ interventions. This workshop is a chance for you to step back, reflect, gather input and build a community of inspired people who, collectively, can change the world. Indicorps Leadership Workshops are an exciting and innovative part of the Indicorps package and have been conducted on college campuses across the country. Please note that space is limited for this workshop so please RSVP ASAP!!

Please RSVP for the events by replying to juie.deo@usc.edu!

Roopal Shah, who is the executive director and co- founder of Indicorps, a nonprofit that is working to transform individuals and India through its grassroots service fellowship. Roopal’s personal and professional journeys have constantly connected to one another as she graduated from Harvard University and the University of Michigan law school, clerked for a federal district judge, served as a federal prosecutor in San Diego, started an international nonprofit with her siblings, and surfed the Hawaiian waters. Driven by personal standards of excellence and a commitment and passion for service of others, Roopal’s story and experiences are inspiring and informative. As each of us figures out what we will do with our professional qualifications and our personal values, this is a tremendous opportunity that we hope you will take!

For the past decade, Indicorps has encouraged hundreds of young Indians around the world to actively participate in India’s progress. It presents an excellent opportunity for young people to serve in communities throughout India for one year. Projects include public health, small enterprises, life skills and education. Fellows return with a deeper appreciation of India and an understanding of community-based change.

Microcredit Summit Campaign brings together microcredit practitioners, advocates, educational institutions, donor agencies, international financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and others involved with microcredit to promote best practices in the field, to stimulate the interchanging of knowledge, and to work towards reaching our goals.

RESULTS, an international citizens’ lobby dedicated to creating the political will to end hunger and poverty. There are 100 RESULTS groups in the U.S. and 40 more in six other countries.

Daley-Harris received The Temple Award for Creative Altruism from the Institute of Noetic Sciences (1995), the Caring Award from the Caring Institute (1997), the Innovator Award from the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University (2003), the Elliott Black Award from the American Ethical Union (2003), and the Susan M. Davis Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grameen Foundation (2007).

Moderator:

ADLAI WERTMAN
Professor of Clinical Management and Organization at the Marshall School of Business
Director, Society and Business Lab

Panelists:

PETER THORRINGTON
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Opportunity International

SANJAY SINHA
Deputy CFO, MicroCredit Enterprises

KATHLEEN STACK
Vice President, Program Development for Freedom from Hunger

StartingBloc Fellowship information session for aspiring social entrepreneurs this Wednesday November 4 at 8:15pm in WPH 205! A StartingBloc Fellow and USC alumna Margaret Ren will give a presentation on her experience and answer any questions about the application process.

*StartingBloc is a global community of social innovators creating new
solutions to timeworn problems. Through its Fellowship program,
StartingBloc unites social innovators across sectors to change the
world in sustainable ways. Learn more and apply for the Fellowship athttp://www.startingbloc.org/application, or email
fellowship@startingbloc.org.*

The USC Global Impact Program empowers USC students to use innovation and entrepreneurship to improve the quality of life for people in developing countries. This program supports the implementation of social projects in India by offering a travel and project-expense paid trip to teams of up to five (5) USC student innovators; to go to India during the months of June, July and August and implement their ideas in the local communities. The student projects must address challenges in one of the following areas: Agriculture, Education, Health, or Microcredit / Livelihoods.

The StartingBloc Social Innovation Fellowship is kickstarted by the Institute for Social Innovation. The Institute is a five day transformational experience, where fellows interact with one another and StartingBloc alumni mentors. At the Institute students and young professionals (aged 20-29) are provided with the training, education, and networks necessary to turn any career into a socially responsible one. We teach innovative ways to make for-profits more sustainable and accountable, and non-profits more business savvy. During the Institute, Fellows learn about corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, cross sector partnerships and sustainability from leading academics, corporate innovators, social entrepreneurs, activists and government officials. The curriculum provides a fresh look at global issues and enables our Fellows to innovatively affect change at all levels.

Each year, the Institutes bring together 375 Fellows at three locations: Boston (125 Fellows), New York (125 Fellows) and London (125 Fellows). The Institute is a gateway into StartingBloc’s Alumni Community. Apply Now